Theme: Women discriminated in the "patriarchal" society
The independent and capable woman Mina's contribution to the process of Dracula is significant in this section. She is the one who transcribes all the numerous diaries into a typewriter. As her interest in new technology indicates, she is evidently different from traditional Victorian woman. She strives to participate as one of the group members in order to defeat Dracula. However, Van Helsing separates her from this task, saying that "We men are determined - nay, are we not pledged? - to destroy this monster; but it is no part for a woman. Even if she be not harmed, her heart may fail her in so much and so many horrors." (Stoker 250) Although Van Helsing has benefited from her significant role and she could be a greater help, he tells Mina to stay off from the terrible task just by the reason that she is a woman. Mina wants to rebut Van Helsing's offer, but she cannot say anything since she fears that she could distract them. "But I did not say anything, for I had a greater fear that if I appeared as a drag or a hindrance to their work, they might even leave me out of their counsels altogether." (Stoker 258) This reflects the Victorian women; Victorian women during the nineteenth century did not favor their limited, domestic-based roles of woman but did not dare to go against the patriarchal society. Even though Mina was apparently different from conventional Victorian ladies, she still did not find a place in a male-dominant group, symbolizing the British society during the Victorian era.
Critical Passage:
"We women have something of the mother in us that makes us rise above smaller matters when the mother-spirit is invoked; I felt this big, sorrowing man's head resting on me, as though it were that of the baby that some day may lie on my bosom, and I stroked his hair as though he were my own child. I never thought at the time how strange it all was." (Stoker 245)
This passage depicts the moment when Arthur Holmwood (Lord Gordalming) lays his head on Mina's shoulder and cries. I think this passage was important that although men are described as the ones who protect women as shown through numerous blood transfusions in previous chapters, sometimes men rely on women in society.Even though women are regarded as ones who are weak and partially inferior to men, they do play significant roles as a member of society. Arthur seems to suffer the most as a result of Lucy's death as he lost his lover. During his hardest moment of his life, he chooses Mina as someone who he could lean on and cry. However, the role of the women is emphasized by the word "mother," as Victorian women were to be good mothers as well as being responsible for her domestic duties. Additionally it was important that at that particular moment Mina regarded Arthur as a baby, which could be utilized as an irony since women were illustrated as ones who should be protected by men as shown in previous sections.
Literary Device:
1) Metaphor
"He is even more prisoner than the slave of the galley, than the madman in his cell." (Stoker 255)
The four men and Mina congregate at Dr. Seward's study under the lead of Van Helsing. Van Helsing leads the discussion since he is the one who is fully aware of Dracula's strength and weaknesses noted by numerous journal entries written by various people as well as his old texts about the "Un-dead." He clearly points out the superiority of the supernatural to science by saying that all they have to be dependent upon are traditions and superstitions. Then he lists the strength of the vampire mentioning his transformation into diverse creatures, ability to direct the elements, and capability to command the animals such as rats and owls. After mentioning all the strength that Dracula owns, Van Helsing encourages the four men by stating his limitations as the "Un-dead." The distance he can make the mist is limited that it can only be around himself. Also he is unable to enter anywhere at the first unless there are someone of the household who allows him to come, which is an indication that only at certain times he has finite freedom. What Van Helsing means by the quote is that he has limited freedom even compared to Renfield, who is locked up in his cell. By mentioning his frailties, Van Helsing claims that there are possibilities that they could actually defeat the monstrous vampire Dracula.
2) Irony
The use of irony is evident in this section. The four men separate Mina as a member of a group which has a goal of destroying Dracula and leaves her alone at home. Van Helsing assumes that this is the best way to protect Mina. Although Van Helsing is smart who is aware of vampires' strength and weaknesses, he is unaware of the fact that he is actually leaving Mina alone at home. He thinks that his plan was successful since Dracula appeared nowhere and they've already been to his house at Carfax. This is the part where Van Helsing assumes that he has done a great job of keeping away Dracula from London -"So far, our night has been eminently successful.. More than all do I rejoice that his, our first - and perhaps our most difficult and dangerous - step has been accomplished without the bringing thereinto our most sweet Madam Mina or troubling her waking or sleeping thoughts with sights and sounds and smells of horror which she might never forget." (Stoker 223) The reality was that Dracula had been around MIna's habitation as he chose Mina as another victim, spreading another "Un-dead" through causing another transformation into a vampire. The four men, particularly Van Helsing, seemed to make a wrong, foolish decision. Again, Dracula seems to be ahead of the four men, continuously attacking Mina.
Reflection:
I think the discussion went more successfully than I expected since some people actually said that they enjoyed out activities. One of the pros of our discussion was that the pre-activity refreshed people's memories about the section they have read yet some people did not know some of the answers because the answers were too detailed. Many people told me that they didn't know the terms and sometimes I had to explain them so that they could get the answers. I think people should read the book more thoroughly and carefully since they didn't even know where the boxes were delivered. (Piccadilly). And the second activity actually helped them to bring up the main theme of each section. The problem was that people did not take it seriously they started to laugh crazily and it was somewhat informal. Also they were busy explaining the situation rather than actually explaining though acting. It would have been better if they have expressed it with their actions. However, I think actually students tried to come up with main themes of each section. For the actual discussion part, it would have been better if we had more questions to ask because we only had about two questions. What I did not like about the discussion was that people did not speak up and their answers were very limited, they did not even provide textual evidences. Overall, I think the discussion progressed smoothly and people enjoyed it, but one of the cons was that people lacked preparation and we were not ready for the prize. :(
DRACULA ANALYSIS SOOJIN
Theme: Women discriminated in the "patriarchal" society
The independent and capable woman Mina's contribution to the process of Dracula is significant in this section. She is the one who transcribes all the numerous diaries into a typewriter. As her interest in new technology indicates, she is evidently different from traditional Victorian woman. She strives to participate as one of the group members in order to defeat Dracula. However, Van Helsing separates her from this task, saying that "We men are determined - nay, are we not pledged? - to destroy this monster; but it is no part for a woman. Even if she be not harmed, her heart may fail her in so much and so many horrors." (Stoker 250) Although Van Helsing has benefited from her significant role and she could be a greater help, he tells Mina to stay off from the terrible task just by the reason that she is a woman. Mina wants to rebut Van Helsing's offer, but she cannot say anything since she fears that she could distract them. "But I did not say anything, for I had a greater fear that if I appeared as a drag or a hindrance to their work, they might even leave me out of their counsels altogether." (Stoker 258) This reflects the Victorian women; Victorian women during the nineteenth century did not favor their limited, domestic-based roles of woman but did not dare to go against the patriarchal society. Even though Mina was apparently different from conventional Victorian ladies, she still did not find a place in a male-dominant group, symbolizing the British society during the Victorian era.
Critical Passage:
"We women have something of the mother in us that makes us rise above smaller matters when the mother-spirit is invoked; I felt this big, sorrowing man's head resting on me, as though it were that of the baby that some day may lie on my bosom, and I stroked his hair as though he were my own child. I never thought at the time how strange it all was." (Stoker 245)
This passage depicts the moment when Arthur Holmwood (Lord Gordalming) lays his head on Mina's shoulder and cries. I think this passage was important that although men are described as the ones who protect women as shown through numerous blood transfusions in previous chapters, sometimes men rely on women in society.Even though women are regarded as ones who are weak and partially inferior to men, they do play significant roles as a member of society. Arthur seems to suffer the most as a result of Lucy's death as he lost his lover. During his hardest moment of his life, he chooses Mina as someone who he could lean on and cry. However, the role of the women is emphasized by the word "mother," as Victorian women were to be good mothers as well as being responsible for her domestic duties. Additionally it was important that at that particular moment Mina regarded Arthur as a baby, which could be utilized as an irony since women were illustrated as ones who should be protected by men as shown in previous sections.
Literary Device:
1) Metaphor
"He is even more prisoner than the slave of the galley, than the madman in his cell." (Stoker 255)
The four men and Mina congregate at Dr. Seward's study under the lead of Van Helsing. Van Helsing leads the discussion since he is the one who is fully aware of Dracula's strength and weaknesses noted by numerous journal entries written by various people as well as his old texts about the "Un-dead." He clearly points out the superiority of the supernatural to science by saying that all they have to be dependent upon are traditions and superstitions. Then he lists the strength of the vampire mentioning his transformation into diverse creatures, ability to direct the elements, and capability to command the animals such as rats and owls. After mentioning all the strength that Dracula owns, Van Helsing encourages the four men by stating his limitations as the "Un-dead." The distance he can make the mist is limited that it can only be around himself. Also he is unable to enter anywhere at the first unless there are someone of the household who allows him to come, which is an indication that only at certain times he has finite freedom. What Van Helsing means by the quote is that he has limited freedom even compared to Renfield, who is locked up in his cell. By mentioning his frailties, Van Helsing claims that there are possibilities that they could actually defeat the monstrous vampire Dracula.
2) Irony
The use of irony is evident in this section. The four men separate Mina as a member of a group which has a goal of destroying Dracula and leaves her alone at home. Van Helsing assumes that this is the best way to protect Mina. Although Van Helsing is smart who is aware of vampires' strength and weaknesses, he is unaware of the fact that he is actually leaving Mina alone at home. He thinks that his plan was successful since Dracula appeared nowhere and they've already been to his house at Carfax. This is the part where Van Helsing assumes that he has done a great job of keeping away Dracula from London -"So far, our night has been eminently successful.. More than all do I rejoice that his, our first - and perhaps our most difficult and dangerous - step has been accomplished without the bringing thereinto our most sweet Madam Mina or troubling her waking or sleeping thoughts with sights and sounds and smells of horror which she might never forget." (Stoker 223) The reality was that Dracula had been around MIna's habitation as he chose Mina as another victim, spreading another "Un-dead" through causing another transformation into a vampire. The four men, particularly Van Helsing, seemed to make a wrong, foolish decision. Again, Dracula seems to be ahead of the four men, continuously attacking Mina.
Reflection:
I think the discussion went more successfully than I expected since some people actually said that they enjoyed out activities. One of the pros of our discussion was that the pre-activity refreshed people's memories about the section they have read yet some people did not know some of the answers because the answers were too detailed. Many people told me that they didn't know the terms and sometimes I had to explain them so that they could get the answers. I think people should read the book more thoroughly and carefully since they didn't even know where the boxes were delivered. (Piccadilly). And the second activity actually helped them to bring up the main theme of each section. The problem was that people did not take it seriously they started to laugh crazily and it was somewhat informal. Also they were busy explaining the situation rather than actually explaining though acting. It would have been better if they have expressed it with their actions. However, I think actually students tried to come up with main themes of each section. For the actual discussion part, it would have been better if we had more questions to ask because we only had about two questions. What I did not like about the discussion was that people did not speak up and their answers were very limited, they did not even provide textual evidences. Overall, I think the discussion progressed smoothly and people enjoyed it, but one of the cons was that people lacked preparation and we were not ready for the prize. :(